Pantheria Origins: A love story in mother Russia
by Gothicpug
Summary: Part of my OC, Lottie Buckley, origins. After being attacked by a Russian serial killer, Arkady Rossovich later to become Omega Red, Lottie finds a murderous love, if only for a short while. One shot.
1. Chapter 1

The cold wind blew as winter descended on Moscow. The snow was thick around her feet as Lottie walked the streets on the freezing night.

The only other people out on the streets that night were the prostitutes and drunks as they stumbled out of the bars and onto the dark back streets in a rougher part of the city. The part of the city the tourists never saw.

That night, like most others, she searched for blood. She didn't care whose, as long as she got it. There were plenty of victims available, it was just a case of the right one in the right place.

Her heavy bear skin coat dragged along the floor behind her, the thick fur warming her against the biting Russian night. She'd been there around 5 months, but was still unused to the cold.

Lottie passed person after person, drunk after drunk, prostitute after prostitute. The poor in soviet Russia were _really_ poor just as the rich were _really_ rich. WWII had left Russia with many issues. The Red Mafia were on the raise and Stalin had tightened his communist grip on the country.

Lottie had slipped in and out of Russia during the chaos, using the same arrangements The Russian gangsters used to move around the country undetected. It was one of the up sides to having that kind of military knowledge.

The murder rate in the country was high and many of the crimes went unsolved, so the feral mutant took full advantage, claiming victims on a regular basis. But not all were hers and she remained on high alert while hunting. It was dangerous for woman to wonder around the dank back streets of Russian cities, even if the seer amount of night walkers stood on street corners said otherwise.

Lottie passed a couple of young girls, selling themselves, as she walked. They seemed uninterested in her as she was not the normal clientèle. The white haired woman cast them a glance, the younger probably no older than 15. one would have been enough to satisfy her lust for death, but the older girl stood protectively in front of the younger girl and two was way too much trouble.

She continued round the corner and shivered in the gust of wind that blew suddenly. How people lived in this weather she'd never know, but they did and probably always would so it wasn't really even worth wondering about.

Totally but chance, she caught sight of the man who was to lose his life that night, as he staggered from the bar, still clutching his vodka bottle as if it was his only life support. He swayed his way down an ally on the opposite side of the street, Lottie following close behind.

She watched him from the darkness as he fell over trash cans and stumbled about almost amusingly further down the ally, that was, until he turned the corner. Lottie hadn't got far enough to see, but there was a loud thud from round the corner and the scent of fresh blood hit Lottie like a ton of bricks.

With a frown she quickened her pace and once round the corner, almost laughed in disbelief at the sight that greeted her.

The man she'd been stalking lay on the ground, his throat cut from ear to ear as he gurgled blood and tried to breath. Stood over him was one of the tallest men she'd ever seen, almost seven foot in height and a lot taller than her 5'4 frame. His blonde hair was cropped pretty close to his head and he looked damn scary. Not that that would help him against Lottie now he'd taken her kill.

(A/N - " *translated from Russian*")

Lottie eyed the two men sceptically, the man on the floor quickly fading.

"*He was mine you know...*" She seethed. The blonde stood over him smirked.

"*Its first come first served in this climate, didn't anyone tell you, foreigner?*" He chuckled.

Lottie had to give him some credit. When he lunged at her, he put all his weight into slamming his knife into her ribcage, cracking two ribs in the process. The pair tumbled backward, but as usual, Lottie's feline reactions kicked in instantly and as the Blonde hit the snow covered floor, she rolled and landed on all fours.

Blood dripped down the handle of the knife in her ribs, and Lottie winced before grinning.

"*you've done this before. You got me in a prime spot, darling.*"

The Blonde man practically growl as he climbed to his feet, his chocolate coloured eyes catching Lottie's violet ones for a moment. Still watching him, she straightened and pulled on the knife handle, giving a mixture between a purr and a growl as it was removed from her body. The wound and her ribs healed without help and she tossed the knife at her attackers feet.

"*You've ruined my shirt by the way.*" she told him, cocking an eyebrow in irritation.

"*I'll ruin more than just your shirt you stupid bitch!*" He grabbed the knife from the floor and took another lunge.

The second time, Lottie dodged easily, not really pleased with his attitude. Clutching the wrist of the hand holding his weapon, she clawed up his forearm, causing him to scream in pain, but it didn't stop her. Lottie twisted the arm behind his back and shoved him into one of the brick walls that surrounded them.

"*You should really be more polite to woman. It wont help your flirting skills to talk to a lady like myself like that.*"

The man struggled and pulled his arm from her grip, reaching for her bear skin coat and catching the collar.

"*I wont have to speak to you once your dead!*" He spat and pulled his other fist back to hit her.

Lottie easily slipped her coat and tackled him, slamming them both up the wall, where she began her torrent of punches and general abuse.

Eventually, the man sunk to the floor, clutching his stomach. His face was bleeding, along with his arm. Lottie took a step back, picking up the coat he'd dropped as she hit him and pulling it back on, clicking her tongue in distaste as she found and examined the hole her opponent had caused when he'd gone to hit her.

"That's going to need stitching..." she muttered to herself.

"vhat?" The blonde spat from the floor, wincing as he pulled at a tooth that came out in his hand.

Lottie scowled. "so you speak English do you, you bastard?"

"little" He groaned.

"a little?...whatever. If you don't get what I'm saying, I'll switch back to Russian, if only to rant at you!"

"you...hit like voman." He muttered and rubbed his jaw.

Lottie snored. "of course I do sweetheart, I am a woman if it hasn't escaped your notice, which judging from the fight we've just had, you clearly did. Anyways, I might hit like a woman, but I floored you didn't I?"

The man, remained sat against the wall where he'd been pinned in the fight, but glared up at Lottie as if looks could kill.

"You...Freak! You...not normal person." He continued to fume.

"Oh?" Lottie laughed. "what? 'cos I can pull a knife out of my ribcage and still beat you two ways from Sunday?" she snapped, her eyes narrowing as she fell silent, watching as the small cuts on his face, caused by her claws, healed, not as fast as her own, but faster than a 'normal person', as he'd called it.

"and who else would just happen to be a freak, my friend?" she hissed back.

The tall blonde remained silent and turned his eyes away from her. In the sudden quiet, Lottie let her eyes roll over him and she smiled softly.

"Hey?"

"Vhat?" He snapped bitterly.

"I aint in the mood to be snapping back and forth right now. My need for violence has been fulfilled, thanks to yourself and you took it like a trooper. Tell you what, if you wanna keep your bitchy comments to yourself, comrade, I'll buy you drink."

He looked back at her at first in confusion, his left eye still swelled and looking painful.

"Vodka? You, me? I'll pay?" she repeated slowly. That's when his look of confusion changed and he stared back at her as if she'd gone man.

"You crazy voman. Crazy foreigner..." He mutter, still staring up at Lottie.

"yea, ok. Maybe a little crazy. But now we have that out in the open, how about that drink?" she rolled her eyes and reached her hand out to help him up.

Lottie's intended new drinking buddy looked between her face and her hand in a moment of pause before reaching and taking the helping hand offered and getting to his feet. Lottie smiled and, just for good measure, kicked the knife he'd used before, down into a nearby drain, just in case.

"what's your name?" she asked as she started back down the ally, heading for the main street.

"Arkady." He replied quietly, still glaring at the back of her head as he followed.

"I'm Lottie. Nice to meet your fresh blood tonight." she purred over her shoulder to him as they hit the main road, walking towards a bar.


	2. Chapter 2

Pantheria: Origins Chapter 2 The couple lived in a small basement flat, and while the little money either had went to rent and vodka, they were happy. Arkady watched her one morning as she slipped around the room, tidying up, just as her nature. He gave her an amused smirk. "What's so funny?" she asked, glancing to him. "You amuse me." "Why, because I refuse to live in squalor?" He pulled her down onto the bed with him, making her squeak. He kissed her, passionately, holding her face in his hand. She purred and allowed him to slip his tongue between her lips. She shivered, the taste of vodka on his tongue. "Arkady, will you ever let me clean?" Her voice came out half-hearted as his mouth traveled her throat. He nipped her exposed skin, slipping her shirt to the side to further taste her skin, "Later." "Arkady..." she slipped out of his arms to continue her work. He sighed and looked at her, "Lottie-" "It makes me feel better." "Lottie, this is ridiculous. Come back to me." She looked at him and how welcoming he looked, laying on the bed with the vodka bottle in his hand...and she turned to clean. She gasped as he threw the bottle at her; the glass exploding against her back. She whimpered and slunk down to the floor. Vodka stung her open cuts as they healed. He rose and moved toward her, gently brushing the glass off her back, away from the rapidly healing cuts. He slipped his shirt off and replaced hers with his, "I'm sorry." She blinked and wiped her eyes as she stood, "It's alright. You weren't aiming for me...were you?" "Of course not" he said, rising to her side and wrapping an arm gently around her. She winced and slipped away, going back to sit on the edge of their bed. He sighed and cleaned up the glass and vodka, going to her once he was done. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands, "I'm sorry." She nodded, "I know. It's okay." He kissed her, drawing her close. She purred into his mouth as he rubbed her back softly. She nudged her nose against his as he pulled away; his mouth moving to her neck. She let her eyes flutter closed as he bit her gently. "Do you forgive me?" She purred contently, drawing him back for another heated kiss, "Of course." He looked at her, holding her cheek, "I know it's not the first time...and I can't promise it'll be the last..." "I know. I forgive you. I love you, Arkady. You know that." He smiled and gave her a small nod. 


	3. Chapter 3

Pantheria: Origins Final Chapter A/N THANK YOU to my darling wifey Nikki. The wonderful woman that finished this fic for me. Lottie and the plot may be mine and Arkady might be Marvel's but this chapter and the last was written by Nikki with my permission. Thank you Wifey x "Arkady?" her soft voice was filled with panic. He turned to her, "Yes?" Her hands were over her stomach, "I think I'm pregnant." His eyes widened, "...What?" She bit her lip and repeated, "I think I'm pregnant." "Why? How?" He blinked in shock. The entire idea of being a father was a completely foreign one to him, especially now. She looked at him, her eyes wide and panicked, "I just realized it's almost been two months." His glass made a soft *clink* as it fell to the table. His eyes were wide. "Two months." She nodded. "Two months?" She nodded again, moving closer, "Do we have enough money for a doctor?" He blinked and moved away, grasping the box their shared stash was in and counting. He nodded slowly, "But just once..." "We need to know." He nodded again, grabbed her coat and handed it to her, and they left. - "Yes, you are in fact pregnant" the doctor, an older, Russian man, told Lottie as he moved around. He asked the usual questions, and though he gave the two odd looks on occasion, Lottie still clutched Arkady's hand for comfort. When the doctor left them, Arkady got her into her coat, "We must go. Trust me." She nodded and raced out with him, and by the time they'd returned home, she was in a full-blown panic. "A baby, Arkady. A baby. How are we going to take care of a baby? We have no money!" He went under the bed, producing a knife and putting it up his sleeve. He looked to her, "Calm down...I will be home later." She was too in shock to argue; simply sinking down onto the bed and placing her hand over her stomach. - When Arkady returned, she was asleep and once again, they barely had enough money to make it another month. He wanted to wake her; to tell her the love she felt for him was not worth the life they lead. As he moved toward her, he had the sinking feeling being apart would not help either of them or their child. Softly, he rested his hands over her stomach and closed his eyes. - By their count, it was eight months. She was round with pregnancy, glowing and beautiful, and both were overjoyed. He'd even stopped drinking in order to make sure she had more than enough food so their child could be strong. When she went into labor, it was sudden and unexpected, and even if they were happy, they still had nothing. He went out and stole an old fruit crate to serve as a cradle, returning with enough time to witness their baby's birth. Lottie had been in hours of labor, so when the baby came, it was a relief. "Luka..." The baby's cries weren't very loud, but he was a beautiful baby. They cleaned him, and wrapped him up, and Lottie held him for a bit before letting him lay in the fruit crate to rest. Very early on, they knew there was something wrong. Their baby was born with a weak heart, and spent his first and last days in the fruit crate that served as his bed. Both were devastated, though a measure of comfort came with the knowledge he'd died peacefully, and loved by both his parents who'd stayed by his side since his birth. After his burial, however, things changed between them. "I'm joining the army" he said one day, at random, between sips of vodka. She looked at him, "You're not serious." "I am. They could make use of me, and it would finally get us money." She shook her head, "I don't want to lose you for money. You've never trusted people, why start now?" "Because I'm being sent to Siberia tomorrow." She looked at him and his eyes met hers. She blinked and whispered, "So...is this...goodbye?" "No. I will be back. This is just me letting you know that I will do what it takes..." "I love you, Arkady. You know that." He reached across the table, took her hand and kissed it, "And I, you. I will be gone when you wake...I apologize." She nodded slowly. She knew if he'd told her earlier, he would've risked being talked out of it. - "Did you hear? They caught that one murderer...turns out it was that Rossovich man" one drunk slurred to another in Russian. Lottie sat up and blinked, listening intently. "They have leads on the other one." Lottie rose from the bar and tossed a little money down. The two drunks went silent, as if their vodka-addled brains really comprehended what they subconsciously knew. The bar was nearly silent except for the sound of her boot heels on the floor and the wind tearing the snow off the icy earth outside. She knew the only thing she really had left was to go back to England. She pulled up the collar of her coat as she stepped outside. Briefly, the wind carried her whisper, and in vain, she wished it would reach Arkady. "Do svidaniya." Fin 


End file.
